WACO, TEXAS — Seven Hills Realty Trust (NASDAQ: SEVN), an affiliate of Boston-based investment firm RMR Group, has provided an $18.5 million bridge loan for the refinancing of LL Sams, a 271-bed student housing building that serves students at Baylor University in Waco. The building is adjacent to campus and houses one-, two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom floor plans. Amenities include a pool, fitness studio, resident clubhouse, package lockers and private study pods. JLL arranged the three-year loan on behalf of the borrower, California-based Shore to Shore Properties.
IRVING, TEXAS — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sale of O’Connor Ridge, a 126,790-square-foot office building in Irving. The four-story building was constructed in 1980 and houses 30 suites. Ron Hebert, Joseph Jaques, David Fersing, Nick Fluellen and Bard Hoover of Marcus & Millichap represented the California-based seller in the transaction. Hebert and Jaques also procured the locally based buyer. Both parties requested anonymity.
HOUSTON — Tytan International, a distributor of agricultural and industrial supplies, has signed a 31,945-square-foot industrial lease in northwest Houston. According to LoopNet Inc., the building at 14200 Hollister Road was constructed in 2012 and totals 88,170 square feet. Garret Geaccone of Stream Realty Partners represented the landlord, Prologis, in the lease negotiations. Devon Rogers of Hrothgar LLC represented the tenant.
PLANO, TEXAS — Dollar Tree will open a 14,600-square-foot store within a freestanding building at 5920 W. Park Blvd. in Plano. According to LoopNet Inc., to building was constructed in 2011 and was previously home to CVS. Kevin Butkus and Corbin Tanenbaum of Weitzman represented the undisclosed landlord in the lease negotiations. Dollar Tree was self-represented. The opening is slated for later this year.
By Taylor Williams AUSTIN, TEXAS — On the surface, Austin has everything that expanding retail and restaurant operators could possibly want: youth, density, culture, high-paying jobs. Yet when these users begin scouting and diving into the state capital’s retail real estate market, they often find that entering or expanding there is much easier said than done. Skyrocketing home prices, increased vehicular congestion and limited infrastructure outside the urban core are just the most visible ways in which Austin has been somewhat victimized by its own torrid growth over the past 10 to 15 years. And each of those variables factors into retail site selection and contributes to the challenges of adding new retail and restaurant space to the market. Editor’s note: InterFace Conference Group, a division of France Media Inc., produces networking and educational conferences for commercial real estate executives. To sign up for email announcements about specific events, visit www.interfaceconferencegroup.com/subscribe. Simply put, if there are no rooftops, roads, parking spaces and utilities, there can be no new retail development. Such is the story in some of Austin’s more remote suburbs, though few doubt that those preliminary requirements for retail growth will eventually be delivered. But there is also the issue of raw …
By David Leopold, SVP, Head of Affordable Housing, Berkadia In today’s shifting real estate landscape, investors increasingly prioritize stability and long-term value. One sector that has consistently demonstrated stability is affordable housing — particularly Section 8 properties backed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). With guaranteed rental income and high demand, Section 8 housing has become an attractive investment vehicle for those looking to diversify their portfolios while contributing to the critical need for affordable housing. As part of this trend, in 2024 Berkadia financed $837 million and sold more than $172 million in Section 8 properties, including the sale and financing of Lauderhill Point, a Section 8 affordable housing community in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This arrangement underpins the firm’s affordable housing expertise, employing production leaders with an average of 25 years in the sector. For investors exploring opportunities in affordable housing, success depends on understanding the unique benefits and requirements of Section 8 properties. Section 8 Housing as a Safe Haven The largest federal subsidized housing program in the United States, project-based Section 8 provides financial assistance to millions of households across the country, making it a steady source of demand that can give …
ROCKDALE, TEXAS — T1 Energy (NYSE: TE), the company formerly known as FREYR Battery, will open an $850 million solar cell manufacturing facility in Rockdale, located northeast of Austin in Milam County. The site spans 100 acres within Sandow Lakes, the mixed-use redevelopment of a 33,000-acre industrial park formerly occupied by aluminum manufacturer Alcoa, and the facility could employ as many as 1,800 people. According to Manufacturing Dive, T1 Energy is aiming to start construction in the second or third quarter, with production expected to commence in late 2026.
FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS — Houston-based DC Partners will develop The Meuse, a 22-acre hospitality and retail project in Fredericksburg, about 80 miles west of Austin. Named after town founder John Meusebach and designed by Merriman Anderson Architects, The Meuse will comprise a 212-room boutique hotel and 72,300-square-foot retail district. The hotel will offer a full-service restaurant, lobby bar, event venue and a pool deck and lounge. The adjacent retail district, which will be leased by Colliers, will feature boutique shops, artisanal markets and locally inspired food-and-beverage concepts, as well as open-air spaces. Construction is scheduled to begin this spring and to be complete in late 2027.
MIDLOTHIAN, TEXAS — Brokerage and advisory firm Binswanger has arranged the sale of an 852,987-square-foot vacant industrial facility in the southern Dallas suburb of Midlothian. The rail-served facility sits on a roughly 94-acre site at 3800 Railport Parkway and features 50-foot clear heights throughout and ample trailer parking space. The site can also support future expansion. MPI Group LLC sold the property to CAPSTAR Real Estate Advisors for an undisclosed price. Holmes Davis of Binswanger brokered the deal. The new ownership plans to market the property to manufacturing and distribution users.
HUFFMAN, TEXAS — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sale of Huffman 2100 Storage, a 451-unit self-storage facility located northeast of Houston. Built in 2018 and expanded in 2023, the six-building facility totals 48,550 net rentable square feet of space across 264 climate-controlled units, 172 non-climate-controlled units and 15 outdoor parking spaces. Dave Knobler, Charles LeClaire, Mixson Staffel and Adam Schlosser of Marcus & Millichap represented the seller, a local limited liability company, in the transaction and procured the buyer, an Arizona-based REIT. Both parties requested anonymity.